The Bothy

Overall we had a good experience at The Bothy.

The location was great and the listing was accurate, however I agree with some of the negatives in the previous reviews. Some people have said it’s hard to find, however we found that if you put the full address into Apple Maps, it takes you right to the door. As described, the parking spaces (x 2) are very tight so please be aware of this if you have a big car. The steps down to the property are very big and steep, so if you struggle with steep steps then again, be aware. Unfortunately the lights along the steps were broken which was pretty dangerous at night. The hot tub was off when we arrived and needed a good dose of chlorine, but that was fine as we didn’t want to use it on the first night. Inside the property, it was mostly clean and comfortable however some surfaces had a lot of dust on them. Like what most others have said, the mattresses were very old and uncomfortable and really do need replacing, as do the tired sofas. What’s disappointing is that people have been stating this in reviews going back 4 months, but nothing has been done. We also found the kitchen to be lacking in basic utensils, which meant we had to drive into Leek to buy spatulas. The central heating is fed from the log burner, so make sure to stock up on logs if you’re visiting in cooler months! It takes time for the radiators to warm up but it’s very cosy with the fire going. There were no instructions on what to do with our rubbish, and there were no recycling bins either, so we were forced to put everything into black bins and leave them outside the property as there was just no information or clues on what to do. Overall it was a good holiday in a tranquil location. Replace the mattresses and sofas, fix the outside step lights and buy a few kitchen utensils and you’ll have yourself a perfect 5 star lodge.

Fabulous place and view!

Would stop again! Downside was the beds were very uncomfortable and the house could do with some TLC. Broken decking and lights for stairs. Apart from that would recommend!

Wonderful location and a great lodge by the lake.

Very clean and well equipped. Loved the terrace and hot tub with views of the lake. The only downsides as referred in other reviews, the beds could do with new mattresses. There was also no information in the lodge on how things work e.g the lights outside by the steps which are very dangerous without lighting in the dark or where to put rubbish when the bin was full. Otherwise a very pleasant stay and I would book again without any hesitation.